A University of Alabama student has been reported missing following a night out with friends during a spring break trip to Spain, his family said.
James Paul Gracey, 20, was hanging out at Barcelona’s world-famous club, Shoko, on Tuesday, while visiting friends who are studying abroad in the Spanish city, before he vanished, his mother wrote on Facebook.
Therese Gracey said her son, who goes by Jimmy, was last seen by a friend inside the club at around 3 a.m. The friend had left the hotspot for the night, but Gracey had decided to stay.
University of Alabama student James Gracey was reported missing in Barcelona, Spain, on March 17, 2026. Therese GraceyGracey was last seen wearing a white shirt, dark pants and a gold chain with a rhinestone cross. Therese Gracey
Gracey failed to return to the residence he was staying, his mother said.
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“The police have his phone but he didn’t make it back to the air bnb. Has anyone see him?” Therese Gracey pleaded to the “Students in Barcelona 2026” Facebook group.
Gracey, from Elmhurst, Illinois, is an honors accounting junior at the University of Alabama, according to his LinkedIn profile.
The school confirmed Gracey is a student at the Tuscaloosa school, but was on a personal trip at the time of his disappearance, according to ABC 33/40.
He was last seen wearing a white shirt, dark pants and a gold chain with a rhinestone cross.
Gracey was hanging out at Barcelona’s world-famous club, Shoko, on Tuesday, while visiting friends who are studying abroad in the Spanish city. Europa Press via Getty Images
Gracey announced in October that he was elected to serve as the chaplain of the Alpha Phi Chapter of the Theta Chi Fraternity.
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Fellow college students had reported seeing Gracey and were urging his family to reach out to local politicians and embassy officials to increase the manpower in the search for him.
Shoko was named the seventh best club in the world and best nightclub in Barcelona for 2025, according to Nightlife International.
The club offers award-winning cuisine being served on the Barcelona seafront, with the establishment “redefining nightlife with exclusive experiences” in the city.
Louisville, Kentucky, EDM artist Daniel Allan was headlining live music at the club Monday night.
Funeral arrangements have been announced for an Alabama wildland firefighter who was killed while battling a wildfire in western Colorado.
Sydney Watson, 27, of Warrior, Alabama, died June 27 while assigned to the U.S. Wildland Fire Service’s Rifle Helitack crew. She was one of three firefighters killed during a burnover event while conducting initial attack operations on the Knowles Fire near the Colorado-Utah border.
Watson’s family will receive friends from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday, July 7, at Highpoint Community Church, 185 Morris-Cobb Road in Empire. A celebration of life service will begin at 6 p.m.
Fire departments from across the region are expected to honor Watson with an apparatus detail before the service. Participating fire apparatus will stage at the church between 3:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. There will be no procession following the celebration of life, and all participating vehicles are asked to be in place before 4 p.m.
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In lieu of flowers, Watson’s family asks that memorial donations be made to the Wildland Firefighter Foundation or the National Park Foundation in her memory.
Watson was among three wildland firefighters killed while responding to the Knowles Fire on June 27. Federal officials said she and her crew were conducting initial attack operations when they were caught in a fatal burnover. Two other firefighters were injured and continue to recover.
The other firefighters who died were identified as Emily Barker, 38, of Clinton Township, Michigan, and Nick Hutcherson, 27, of Glendale, Arizona.
Following the incident, the Knowles Fire merged with several other fires to become the larger Snyder Fire along the Colorado-Utah border.
A serious accident investigation remains underway to determine what led to the deadly burnover.
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U.S. Wildland Fire Service Chief Brian Fennessy previously said the firefighters “embodied the courage, professionalism and selflessness that define the wildland fire service” and made the ultimate sacrifice while protecting others.
Ismael Camara has announced a verbal commitment to the Texas Longhorns.
Camara is an extremely talented 2027 five-star offensive lineman prospect, and he currently attends Gilmer High School in Texas. His decision leaves the Tide with one offensive lineman commit in Stafford Willis.
The Longhorns beat out Alabama, LSU, Oregon, SMU, Texas A&M and others to snag a commitment from Camara. The Crimson Tide hosted Camara during the spring, and Alabama’s offensive line coach Adrian Klemm once had the Tide trending with Camara.
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“Coach Klemm has three Super Bowl rings as a player and has coached at the highest levels,” Camara said while previously discussing Klemm. “He is someone I look up to because he has been where I want to go. He runs his offensive line room like an NFL offensive line room because that is what he knows and where he is from. I think the best way to sum up our relationship is respect.”
It is likely Alabama will end this cycle with only one offensive lineman commit in what is expected to be a small class.
Justin Smith is the Managing Editor and Lead Writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine with over 10 years of writing experience & expertise. Smith has consistently delivered high quality, extensively researched information on the University of Alabama’s Crimson Tide football team that fans can trust. Smith is official credentialed media with the University of Alabama under Touchdown Alabama Magazine. He is also the Director of Recruiting for Touchdown Enterprises, specializing in scouting and analyzing high school recruits around the nation, specifically focusing on recruits within the state of Alabama.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. –An estimated 30,000 fans packed the State Capitol grounds Friday night for a concert by country band Alabama, according to officials.
The band, known for hits such as “Mountain Music,” “Dixieland Delight” and “Song of the South,” headlined West Virginia’s America250 celebration.
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The band formed in Fort Payne, Alabama, in 1969 when Randy Owen and his cousin Teddy Gentry were joined by another cousin, Jeff Cook.
Earlier in the evening, West Virginia native Philip Bowen opened for Alabama.
The celebration continues through Sunday.
A full schedule can be found at wvtourism.com/america250.